Garment fastener



v0. F. NILSSON.

GARMENT FASTENER.

APPLlcMioNA FILED ocu 27, 1920.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922..

PATENT OFFICE.

' OSCAR F. NILSSON, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARMENT FASTENER.

Application filed October 27, 1920.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, OsoAn F. NrLssoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Garment F as teners, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to garment fasteners and, particularly, to a two-part fastener adapted for use in connection with dresses, coats, waists, gloves, and other articles of apparel having plackets or openings to-be closed or overlapping parts which are to be temporarily secured together.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide a structure which obviates the use of, and eliminates, all springs, spring tongues, or other similar yielding members usually utilized for snapping against or engaging a projec tion for securing the two members of the fastener together; to provide a structure which overcomes the many objections to the so-called dome fasteners, or fasteners with rounded, flared, bulbous projections adapted to interact with sockets and receptacles to hold the two parts or members, and the parts of the garment to which they are attached, together; to provide a simple, compact, strong and durable two-part fastener for garments, etc., the parts of which are readily interlocked and securely held against practically all strains, pulls and jerks, regardless of the manner in which the same are exerted; to provide a two-part garment fastener so constructed that the male member may be readily, quickly and effectively interloeked with the female member and held in the nal or locking position securely; to provide a two-part garment fastener the form and structural features of which are such that it may be economically produced with a few simple mechanical operations and with dies and tools which are comparatively simple and cheap; to provide a two-part garment fastener so constructed as to overcome the present difficulties eXperienced in interlocking the two parts of fasteners wherein the opening of the female member has to be felt for and the parts brought into interlocking engagement without sight or view of the female member, the structure of my two-part fastener obviating the foregoing difficulties and providing for the engagement of the connecting members Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Serial No. 419,824.

by a sliding operation which practically leaves in view the female member, so that the user can readily see what he is doing; to provide a two-part garment fastener which does not require pressure upon the two parts to force them together, but which are interlocked by a relative sliding action of thc parts in planes parallel with each other and with the surface of the article to which the fastener parts are applied; to provide a twopart garment fastener which is not liable to be crushed or distorted during the process of laundering the article to which the fastener is attached and which is so constructed as to withstand great pressure and which, if slightly crushed or bent or distorted, (such condition usually putting other fasteners out of use) will, nevertheless, be able to perform its functions and securely hold the parts of the garment together without liability to accidental separation.

With the foregoing objects in view, and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and combinations thereof hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawings wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the female member of a garment fastener embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2 2, Figure l;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the male member of my garment fastener;

Figure t is a sectional view substantially on the line 4- 4, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a central, sectional view of the two members of Figures 1 and 3, interlocked or in functional position, the section being taken at a right-angle to the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a different form of male member embodying my invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view substantially on the line 7 7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of another form of female member having a form of spring teat embodying my invention;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9 9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a plan view of another form of male member embodying my invention.

Cil

indicates the base of the female member ofV my fastener, which base, as-seen in Figures 2 and 5, is formed approximatelyconcavoconvex or dish-shaped, this form giving to the structure the additional strength required by reason of the removal of the material in producing perforations, apertures or openings 2 through the medium of which the base is secured in functional position, the said dish-shape also enabling thick material to be received therein Without lifting or raising the base in an unsightly or unseemly manner on the surface of the materia-l to which it is applied. The openings 2 can be of any desired shape and as minierous as found expedient, depending upon thestructural features of the member. The base 1 is provided vvith tivo oppositely disposed receptacles produced, in this instance of my invention and preferably, by striking up the body of the base to provide overlying or over-hanging Wings 3 free along their entire inner edges 4 from the material of the base, but attached-along their entire outer edges or Walls 5 to the base. Being thus struck up, the Wings 3 are substantial and strong and provide guide-Ways for the elevated or projecting portions of the male member presently described. As will be seen in Figure 1, the edges of the Wings form acute angles at opposite ends and the outer terminals or ends (3 converge toward each other, While their inner ends 7 diverge from each other, the edges of theY latter seing greatly flared outwardly from each other so as to produce a Wide-open passage for the admission of thev elevated or projecting portion of the male member. This arrangement also has reference to the bodily disposition of the Wings 3; that is to say, the Wings, as a Whole, areal-ranged to converge from inner vto outer ends so as to produce an approximately V-shaped socket between and under the Wings 3 for the reception of the male member of the fastener. The. expressions outer ends and finner ends are here used with reference to the terminals and entrance ends of the oppositely disposed wings 3, which are arranged on opposite sides of a center line represented by the section line 2-2. Thus an exceedingly Wide space or entrance end is provided for enabling the male member to be inserted into the female member without feeling or searching for said entrance and enabling the members to be interlocked quickly and with great facility by a sliding action. By reason of the converging arrangement of the Wings 3, together With their curved, outer, attached edges 5,-Which edges are not struck fromthe same center but converge toward each other,-the male member is limited in its movement relatively to the female member and is caused to interact With the Wings so as to prevent any possibility of accidental displacement of one of the members relatively to the other. It should be understood, however, that the form of the wings 3 is such as to avoid any Wedging action upon the male member, since the curvature of the Walls 5 at their outer ends is substantially concentric With the curvature of the male member, as will presently appear, and the edges 4 are substantially parallel. The base 1 also has struck up therefrom a teat or projection 8, arranged eccentrioally to the base, which preferably is a disk, though the form of the base may be angular or any other suit-able shape. The teat 8 is a frictional device and is preferably arranged midway between the inner edges 4 of the Wings 3, and Vbetween the terminals 6 and the center of the'base 1. Thilo the teat 8 may be circular in general form, as shown in Figure 1, it is not aV semisphere. On the contrary, as shown in Figure A27 the surface of the teat has, approximately, a blunt V-shape with a slightly longer surface toward the center of the base 1 than in the opposite direction. This form of teat makes a strong and effective retainer for the male member and provides for easy passage of the male member. The teat 8 may have any desired gene-ral outline.

The male member consists of a base 9, the form of which is' shown as a cupped or concavo-convex disk, but Which form will be changed to correspond with the form given to the base 1, if desired. Said base 9 is provided with ,a plurality of attaching apertures 10, of any suitable form and location, and has struck up from its center a circular projection attached at opposite points to the base 9 by radial members 11, which serve to strengthen the projection and maintain it rigidly in its elevated position. Of course,

' theradial members l1 are integral With the base 9 and the projection, and, by reason thereof, there is no angle or sharp edge or projection which would snag or catch in lace, or sleazy, or light materials, of which ladies shirt Waist-s and other garments are usually composed. The projection is provided centrally with a circular depression 12'aifording a receptacle for the teat 8 of the femalel member, Which teat, yin approaching'the depression 12, slides frictionally over the surrounding, circular, flattened surface 13 of the projection of the male member between the depression 12 and the radial members 11,

the said teat S snapping into the receptacle Y 12, .as it passes the elevated surface 13. Thus the user is enabled to determine When the male member has suiiiciently entered the female member and is properly seated therein. The radial members 11, being opposite each other, and centrally disposed relatively to the projection, form, diametrically of the base 9, elongtited leadersadapted to direct isoY the male member' into the female member of the fastener; that is to say, it is only necessary that one or the other of the radial members 11 shall engage one or the other edge 7 of the respective wings 3 of the female member to enable the male member to be properly directed into the female member and readily and quickly seated in the latter by causing the teat 8 to snap into the depression 12 of the male member. Thus the importance of the flared edges 7 and the con ve'rging edges 5, and their terminals 6, can be readily realized, and, coupled with these features, is the diverging disposition of the wings 3 and the location and form of the teat 8 so that the latter may slide frictionally across the elevated, circular, flattened surface 13 of the projection before the male member is set in the female member. I desire to lay stress upon these features of my invention, since they are important and produce the various good results attributable to my fastener and overcome the various faults and objections to the usual form of fasteners heretofore referred to. The form of the teat 8 is such that its shorter outer wall 8a, being more abrupt, provides a substantial check against withdrawal of the male member, it requiring a substantial pull to effect separation, while the longer inner wall enables the easy passage of one or the other of the members 11, it being understood that the male member 9 is reversible. The edges 14 of the projection are struck from the same center and are substantially of the same curvature as the outer ends of the edges or walls 5, thus avoiding any wedging ,action between the members. It will be noted also, and this is another feature upon which I desire to lay stress, that the two members of my fastener, when coupled as shown in Figure 5, have slight rotary movement the vone upon or relatively to the other; that is to say, by reason of the radial members 11 giving diametrical elongation to the projection, the male member may swing or rotate in the female member to a limited extent when the projection is once set with the teat 8 in the depression 12, due to the edges 1. near the converging terminels 6 cooperating with the opposite edges of one of the radial members 11, the opposite circular por tions of the projection underriding the wings 3 and engaging the walls 5. The connection thus brought about is .a loose one and not fixed and rigid, since the parts may play upon each other to the extent of the difference between the diameter of the recess 12 and the diameter 0f the teat 8, or the difference in width of members 11 and distance between edges 4. -The form of the teat also provides for quick separation of the members by a short relative movement.

In the form of my invention shown in gures 6 .and 7, I have providld' the male member with a circular, centrally disposed, tubular, flanged projection 15, this form of projection for cooperation with the socket member 1 enablingthe two members to have r tation relatively the one upon the other. lilith this form of male member the flat fiange 16 underrides the wings 3 of the fcmale member, and the teat 8 frictionally engages the flat surface of the flange 16 and snaps into the central aperture of the projection 15. 'Ihe form of the base may be the same as that shown in Figures 3 and l and is given a like numeral 9, the securing apertures alsobeing indicated by 10. This form of my invention enables the connection to be loose and yet strong, and has practically all the advantages of the ligure 3 construction.

The forms of my invention shown in Figures 8 to 10 are particularly useful and important when embodied in large and strong fasteners and when made of heavy materials having comparatively little inherent elasticity or resiliency. Such forms produce ease and facility of action between the parts when brought or moved into interlockin engagement.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the female member has its base 1 of the same sha-pe and form as in Figure 1, and the securing apertures 2 are similarly disposed. The wings 3 are shaped and disposed and produced in the same manner and are indicated by like numerals. In this form of my invention, however, the teat 8 is at the end of a spring or resilient tongue 17, produced by cutting out the metal et' the base 1, the cut being in continuity with the cuts made in striking up the wings 3. rIhe mounting of the teat 8 on a spring tongue, as shown, makes the female member more pliable and responsive to the action of the male member, and the structure is quickly produced.

In Figure 10, I have shown a form of male member similar to that of Figure 3; but, having the radial members 11 provided with elongated grooves 21 for the easy passage of the teat 8 on the female members; and the raised portion or projection has an aper- `ture 22 instead of a depression. In this form the securing` apertures are differently placed in order to avoid weakening the metal. In fact, in all forms of the several members, the apertures 2 are disposed and the number is gaged according to the structure so as not to weaken the disks of the members.

Havingthus described my invention, what I'claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A garment fastener having, in combination, male and female members, the latter having a pair of oppositely disposed, converging wings providing between them at llO one end a flared entrance and, at the other end, parallel walls forming a guide, and the male member having a circular projection provided with radial members adapted to slide between the wings, the female member having a teat arranged between the two wings, and the projection of the male member having a depression for receiving the teat.

2. A garment fastener composed of a body member having a central projection provided with inclined radial members extending to the body member, and also having a central depression for receiving a teat, and the radial members each being provided with an elongated groove.

8. A garment fastener composed of a body member having a central, circular projection provided with radial members extending toward the edge of the body member,

and' also having a central depression for receiving a teat. Y

. Il. The combination ofV elements such as recited in claim l wherein the circular projection is provided with anges on opposite sides adapted to underride the wings of the c female member and cooperate with the converging walls of the wings.

5, A garment fastener comprisingl male and female members, the male member being provided with a raised flange, the female member being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed raised guiding wings, the inner edges of which are free and the outer vwalls of which converge throughout their length toward each other and constitute a guide and a stop for the edge of the flange of the male memberto direct and limit the movement of the latter, and a teat arranged between the wings inthe space between their ends.

6. A garment fastener member made of a single piece of metal having securing means near its circumference, and wings struck up therefrom having Aadjacent inner guiding edges and along their outer margin guid- Y ing walls arranged in converging relation so as vto constitute a stop at one end to limit the movement of the male member, and a retaining' teat also struck up therefrom and arranged between the guiding wings 4in the space between their ends.

7. A garment fastener member made of a single piece of metal having securing apertures therein near its circumference and guiding wings struck up therefrom and arranged in converging relation so as to constitute a stop at one end to limit the movement of a male member, and a retaining teat also struck up therefrom and arranged between the guiding wings in the space between their ends, and the body of the said member being provided with an elongated aperture extending from near one edge thereof between the wings to a point toward the teat of the said member so as to provide a resilient support for the teat. v

8. A garment fastener member having guiding wings offset from the surface there- Vof and having guiding walls along their outer margins arranged throughout their length in converging relation to each other so as to constitute a stop at one end to limit the movement of the male member, the said wings having their inner free edges iared outwardly at one Yend to provide a wide entrance between the two, and a teat provided on the member in the space 'between the wings adjacent their opposite end portions and offset from the center of said member.

9. A garment fastener member formed of a single piece of metal concavo-convex in cross-section, said memberhaving securing apertures arranged-about its edges and within the bounds of the securing apertures being provi-ded with guidingwings offset from Y the body of the member, the said wings having marginal guiding walls arranged to converge toward each other, and straight inner guiding edges, and a securing teat arranged inthe space between'the wings and offset from the center of'said'member."

l0. A garment fastener, member comprising a concave-convex piece of metall provided with securing aperturesV and having centrally thereof a raised portion provided with radial members'at Vopposite sides, the said raised portion having a flat frictional surface and a recess for receiving a retaining member.

ll. A garment fastener member made of a single piece of metal having securing apertures therein, and guiding wings struck up therefrom and arranged in converging relation, and a retaining teat also struck upv therefrom and arranged between the guiding wings, said teat having one side provided with a long inclined surface and the opposite side provided with ashort inclined surface, the said surfaces converging from bottom to top of the teat. i

12. A garment fastener member having acentral, offset, circular, flanged portion, and oppositelyY disposed radial guiding members lextending from the angedportion to the body of the fastener, and means for securing the fastener to a garment;

13. A garment fastener member having a pair of oppositely disposed, converging, offset wings formed by stampingl up and cutting the material of the member, the latter also having between the wings a detaining teat formed on a Viesilient portion of the member produced by cutting out an elongated portion from centrallyy between the OSCAR F. YNILSSON. 

